Longtime volunteer fireman is indicted for stealing $775

On Wednesday, Aug. 18, a grand jury indicted Raymond Grenot Jr.,
27, for allegedly stealing the funds to pay off his personal credit
card debt, according to the Morris County Prosecutors Office.
According to the prosecutors office, the withdrawals, which were
not authorized, allegedly took place on three separate occasions
between May 3, 2003, and July 4, 2003. The fire departments
treasurer discovered it and reported it to the authorities, said
Lt. Jeff Paul, a spokesperson for the Morris County Prosecutors
Office. This was a joint investigation between the Roxbury Police
Department and the prosecutors office, Paul said. The
investigation has been ongoing since early this year. Grenot was
serving as the first assistant chief and was initially going to
serve as the overall department chief this year. Township Manager
Christopher Raths suspended him, however, late last year when the
investigation began and did not permit him to assume the chiefs
position. Instead, Raths appointed John Hayowyk to serve as
department chief in January. Hayowyk served until June 29, when
David Ward Sr. was administered the oath of office by the deputy
township clerk. Before he was suspended, Grenot Jr. was serving as
the chief of Co. 3. Late last year, however, township attorney
Anthony Bucco publicly reported that Grenot Jr. was being
investigated for an alleged misuse of funds. In May, Raths
presented the Township Council with a report prepared by the
townships auditor, Nisivoccia & Company. The firm audited all
three fire companies in the township, and the report cited numerous
missing vouchers, receipts and other documents, predominantly in
companies two and three. As a result, volunteer firefighters and
first aiders are now required to go through the townships finance
department to have their bills paid. That decision, Raths said in
May, was based on the numerous undocumented expenditures and
irregularities in the accounting of the use of funds. Raths was on
vacation and could not be reached for comment on the indictment.
Specifically, Grenot Jr., a third generation volunteer firefighter,
was charged with official misconduct and theft by deception.
Official misconduct is a second degree crime that carries a five to
10 year prison sentence, while theft by deception is a third degree
crime, which can carry a prison sentence of three to five years,
according to the prosecutors office. Leslie Wade, chief assistant
prosecutor with the specialized crimes unit, said Grenot Jr. is
accused of using the Click To Pay option on the Internet on three
separate occasions. His personal credit card account was linked, he
said, with the fire departments bank account number to authorize
the withdrawals. Normally, Wade said this type of activity would be
a third degree crime. However, hes a public official. Because he
is a public official, this is elevated to a second degree crime.
The penalty for a second degree crime could be five to 10 years in
prison, Wade said Thursday. He said he is not certain, however, if
Grenot Jr. will face any jail time. Next, there will be an
arraignment in Superior Court in Morristown. That will probably be
within the next few weeks, Wade said. Morris County Prosecutor
Michael Rubbinaccio issued a statement on the matter Wednesday.
The person is a public servant and that person has the public
trust, and when thats violated, that needs to be taken seriously,
Rubbinaccio said. I think the public has to know that youre here
to protect them. Theres enough cynicism about public officials,
he said. According to Paul, the fire departments treasurer noticed
that company funds had been spent using the Internet. Fire
department officials were notified who, in turn, notified police.
The investigation was conducted by Roxbury Police Detective Kevin
Carroll and Detective Elaine Stewart of the county prosecutors
office. Company 3 covers the Berkshire Valley section of the
township. Grenots father, Ray Grenot Sr., is a past chief of the
fire department. His grandfather was also a founding member of Co.
3. Grenot Jr. did not return calls for comment.

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